Power Rangers (series)
Power Rangers is a series of television series, chronicling the adventures of the Power Rangers, directly tied into a vast merchandising empire largely owned by Japanese toy company BanDai. The concept is based on the Super Sentai series of shows, however, is not an English dub of the original, but rather a new production with English-speaking actors spliced in with the original Japanese footage to varying ratios. Due to the very Japanese nature of many of Sentai's stories, the American adaptations are generally changed to fit its Western audience. Power Rangers was distributed by Saban Entertainment from 1993 until the end of 2001 and was broadcast on the Fox network. At the end of 2001 when Power Rangers: Wild Force was in early production, Power Rangers changed ownership to Disney. However, the show continued to air on the Fox Network until Fox Kids was closed down in the middle of the Power Rangers: Wild Force run. The remainder of the series and all subsequent series have aired on various Disney-owned stations. Seasons Plot Each of the Power Rangers seasons, or "incarnations", centers around a group of people, often teenagers (age of actors actually varies from 18 to 23 years old), that gain super powers to fight various villains, ranging from demons to witches to aliens. To activate these powers, these characters, known in general as the Power Rangers, morph by performing a standard action and reciting a morphing call. Throughout the series, the Power Rangers learn the importance of teamwork and perseverance as they battle progressively harder-to-defeat villains. Like its Super Sentai counterpart, from which part of an episode's action footage is taken, a monster is unleashed on the Power Rangers and it is usually up to them to destroy the monster. Often, before a monster is defeated, a monster will grow into gigantic proportions, forcing the Power Rangers to use gigantic (bio)mechanical machines known as Zords. In many cases, these Zords can be combined to form a more advanced (and humanlike) machine, known as a Megazord. In many series, because of the way Zords are combined, the Power Rangers may also use interchangeable parts to enhance their fighting power, or combine Megazords together to form larger Megazords. Though only in the first four seasons, there were extremely large combinations of Zords known as Ultrazords. Technically, two new Ultrazords appeared in Ninja Storm, but these formations were never referred to as such. In overdive also had a new ultrazord even referring to it as such. "End of the World" Plot In several Power Rangers series, the series ends with a battle that pits the Rangers against overwhelming odds. Each battle features several basic traits, including: # All or most of the current Zords are destroyed either during or prior to the battle. # The main villain makes their presence known to everyone and fights the Rangers. # The city is overwhelmed by an army of Enemy Foot Soldiers. # Several or all of the Rangers' vehicles are destroyed. # The lead Ranger, usually Red, faces the primary villain in a battle that seems to be in the villain's favor. # The villain is miraculously sealed away or destroyed, putting an end to their threat until next season. Several series also involve the villains unleashing evil Zords upon the city, which do battle with the Rangers' remaining Zords. After the end of this plot, the threat of the current villain is negated for good or until their next appearance. The only seasons not to feature this plot are Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers, Power Rangers: Zeo and Power Rangers: Turbo, as their ending battles are all combined with that of Power Rangers: In Space in the special episode "Countdown to Destruction". It should also be noted that the Super Sentai shows also use this kind of plotline for the end of their storylines, but is generally something different, although the final battle plots for some of the PR series do have a few similarities to the final battles of the Sentai series that they are based on. Elements of a Power Rangers season In each incarnation of the Power Rangers seasons, there are generally people outside the Power Rangers aiding their cause. Among them is a mentor or teacher figure to help lead the Power Rangers (Zordon for example), as well as a technical wizard or magician who design the various tools used by the Power Rangers (Billy Cranson, for example). There are also characters who have tools and powers like the Rangers but are not Rangers themselves (Ninjor, etc.) Characters for comic relief are generally also present, with such characters attempting to discover the identities of the Power Rangers (Bulk and Skull, for instance), and nearly succeeding on several occasions. The Rangers themselves are often color-coded, with each Ranger wearing its color even when unmorphed. In some series (such as Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue, Power Rangers: Wild Force, and Power Rangers: SPD), a jacket is given to the Power Rangers to distinguish them from non-Ranger characters. Typically, red, blue, green or black, yellow, and pink or white are the colors used. In series where new Power Rangers are introduced, they either utilize one of the not-yet-utilized previously mentioned colors, or they don't follow the color-naming conventions at all (for example, the Titanium Ranger in Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue). The Red Ranger is usually the leader of the team, except in the second and third seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers, Power Rangers: Time Force and Power Rangers: Dino Thunder and arguably Power Rangers: SPD Each team of Power Rangers, with few exceptions, obey a general set of conventions, outlined at the beginning of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and implied throughout many of the other incarnations, although not stated explicitly. These include the Power Rangers being forbidden to use their Ranger powers for personal gain or for escalating a fight, explaining why the Rangers don't just step on the small monsters with their Megazord. The Power Rangers are also forbidden to disclose their identities to the general public, barring extenuating circumstances (although this rule was disregarded in Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue, Power Rangers: SPD, Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive and Power Rangers: RPM). The penalty for disobeying these rules, at least in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers would be the loss of the power. The arsenal available to the Power Rangers is also somewhat standardized: each Ranger is generally armed with a weapon such as a laser gun or a sword. Each Ranger also has a secondary set of weapons, that can often combine to form a larger weapon (usually a cannon). As the series progresses, one or even all of the Rangers are also usually given a motorcycle for long-distance travel, as well as individual zords. In many series, a Ranger is also given additional zords or weapons, in some cases one Ranger may receive something that other Rangers may not have - an example of this is the Battlizer given to the Red Rangers of each series since Power Rangers: In Space. Although much of the arsenal can also be found in Super Sentai, there is generally at least some that are not, generally added for the express purpose of marketing toys designed and sold by Bandai. In later incarnations, it is also common for each incarnation to be separate, storywise, from another incarnation. A tradition in later incarnations is for two teams of Power Rangers to team up and take on a villain. In Power Rangers: Wild Force, the tenth incarnation of Power Rangers, this is taken to the next level, as ten Red Rangers teamed up in the episode "Forever Red." The only season not to feature this is Power Rangers: Ninja Storm. Another frequently occurring element of the show are the horribly exaggerated characters who many viewers believe make the show seem like a low-budget production. To some this is bad, although many find it somewhat hilarious, especially if they've been watching the show for a long time. Criticisms Many critics of the early Power Rangers series claimed that the Power Rangers use unnecessary force to destroy their monsters, and often get into fights when better alternatives were available. In some cases, networks pulled Power Rangers from its lineup, citing such concerns. Later incarnations of Power Rangers often attempt to explain the actions of the Power Rangers, but many still believe that Power Rangers remains a series too violent for young children. Norway pulled the series as they believed that the series caused two boys to beat up a girl in 1993 (it was eventually found that the murder was unconnected to the series). For a time Power Rangers was not pulled from Malaysian television screens as the word "morphin" (in the phrase "It's Morphin Time!") sounded a bit too much like the drug morphine had been banned then it shows only title Power Rangers instead. The first season of Power Rangers also drew criticism from some groups claiming that the Ranger colors were racist, specifically referring to Zack, the Black Ranger (played by African American actor Walter Emmanuel Jones) and Trini, the Yellow Ranger (played by Asian American actress Thuy Trang). This criticism was rendered moot when the two actors left the show halfway through Season Two and were replaced with an Asian American male as the Black Ranger, and an African American woman as the Yellow Ranger. This was mentioned on VH1's I Love the 90s. Amy Jo Johnson and Walter Emmanuel Jones appeared in the "1993" episode. The fact that there are very few links between the later Power Rangers series (apart from the name and format) is often resented by the older Power Rangers fans. Each series now seems to start the story anew instead of continuing from the previous season as it used to. The first Power Rangers show to stop being a direct continuation from the previous was Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy; however, recently there has been a small attempt at making the series after Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy in canon with the Power Rangers timeline with Tommy Oliver's recall of the events in an episode of Power Rangers: Dino Thunder and in Power Rangers: Wild Force's tenth incarnation celebrationary episode "Forever Red" which featured all the Red Rangers from Jason Lee Scott right up to Cole himself. In the UK, the first incarnation sparked fears that kids would hurt themselves by recreating the moves in the series. As a result, GMTV (who is still the analogue host in the UK) had to issue a warning at the end of an episode stating, "The Power Rangers are specially trained martial arts experts, so don't you copy them!" GMTV no longer issues this warning. However, Jetix in its British incarnation still issues a generic warning for the entire series that was used since the beginning of Power Rangers: In Space. When Power Rangers was first released it was classified as children's programming. However, since its release, the show has continued to evolve into a program that is enjoyed by more mature audiences, partly due to its aging original fans. This has led to some fans requesting that the tone and format of the show be changed in order to better suit its more mature audience. However, whereas Power Rangers still appeals to older viewers, the show's producers feel that a more mature show might alienate their largest demographic—children. It would also cause them to lose revenue in toy and merchandising sales, which finance the shows. Motion Pictures The Power Rangers series have also brought forth two movies. *''Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie'' (1995) *''Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie'' (1997) A movie was planned to be produced for Power Rangers: Time Force in 2001, but the threat of a Screen Actors Guild strike cancelled those plans.